Hand-stamp



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. EMERSON.

Hand-Stamp.

No. 224.666. Patented Feb. 17-, 1880.

[Id/b I Inventor 2 i 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

G. B. EMERSON.

I Hand-Stamp.

No. 224, 66. 1 Patented Feb. 17, .1880.

with 85 555 UNITED STATES PATENT Q EFICEe GEORGE E. EMERSON, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HAND-STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,666, dated February1 7, 1880.

Application filed September 20, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. EMERSON, of thecity and county of San Francisco, and

State of'Galif'ornia, have invented an Improvement in Dating, Canceling,and other Stamps; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of stampswhich are employed for marking, dating, canceling, or otherwiseimpressing various documents, and at the same timeindicating the hourand minute at which such impression is made; and it consists of theordinary horizontal fixed die hav ing the usual official marks, letters,or figures upon it, and within this die a clock or timedial, forming apart of or permanently fixed within it upon the bedplate of the stamp.In combination with this stationary die I employ two indicators, hands,or pointers, which are moved by a clock or timing mechanism beneath, soas to mark by the dial the hour and minute at which the impression ismade without the use of any automatically-moving dial or othermechanism.

My invention further relates to a novel means of moving theindicating-pomter by a direct vertical connection with clock-movement,while the latter is at the same time relieved from all the effects ofconcussion by the blows of the stamp. In combination with this mechanismI employ a peculiar meridian-disk, by which the ante and post meridiandivisions of time are indicated, and also a cylindrical die rotating atright angles with the horizontal die, and having the words Ganceled,Received, Audited, &c., formed upon it. This cylindrical die is providedwith an adjusting and locking device, by which any desired word orcharacter upon it may be instantly brought uppermost and locked inposition for use.

The letters and figures of the date are fitted into a dovetailed slide,which is easily introduced to or removed from the bed-plate when thedate is to be altered.

' Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure l is a View of my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are details of construction.

Various attempts have been made to combine a timing and stampingapparatus in one machine; but this has hitherto been eil'ected by amultiplicity of automz'tticallymoving dials and ineridian-wheels, whichnecessitated complicated gearing and interi'nediate mechanism to connectit with a more or less distant clockmovement, so as to protect thelatter from injury, and also in devices for restoring lost motion in themoving dials, all of which have had the etl'ect to render the apparatusexceedingly delicate, easily deranged, and unfitted for prac tical use.

In my invention Iemploy the ordinaiy stamp having a bed-plate providedwith fixed ofiicial and dial dies, dating letters and figures,meridian-disk, and such other words as may be desired, and a combinationwith these of two hands or pointers connected directly with a simpleclock mechanism situated directly beneath the dial and hands. The frameof the stamp is formed with a cavity to receive the clock mechanism, andhas the usual hinged or other stamping-arm and impression-mm, and theinking-ribbon, with its ieeding-pawls and ratchet.

The base of my stamp consists of a hollow portion, forming an invertedcup, as shown at A, to contain the timing mechanism, and a foot, 13,which is united to the part A by an arch or connecting portion, C.

The impression-pad D is mounted in the free end of the armor lever E, soas to have a universal movement to adjust its face so as to fit the dieor type in the usual manner.

The arm E is hinged at the rear to the top of the arch O in the usualform of this class of stamps, and the impression-pad is held up andwithdrawn after each impression by means of a spiral or other spring, asshown. The inkingribbon F passes around rollers situated within theframe at each side of the bed-plate, and is moved over the die, beingactuated at each movement of the impression-pad lever E by theratchet-wheel G and the double pawls H, in the usual manner, the separtshaving nothing in them novel.

The bed-plate H is secured to the top of the hollow clock-containingcase A, and upon this plate is formed the name of the bank, olfice, orplace of business, together with the figures or characters of aclock-dial, from I to 12, as at I J. These letters and figures are fixedto or form a part of the plate H, so that they are permanent, whilewithin the inner circle are fitted two concentric movable stems ordisks, K L, each of which carries a suitable 5 pointer or indicator uponits surface in the manner otaclocle't'ace; and in this construction ofsolid receivingletters and'figures combined with the movableindicator-pointers lies the principal merit of my machine, as I am thusenabled to provide a stamp of equal solidity with the ordinary dating orcanceling stamp, and having but few exterior moving parts.

The minute-hand m is in the form of a raised arr'ow or pointer upon theupper surface of 1 5 the disk or stem L, which extends down through thebed-plate E into the case to connect with the clock-work or timingmechanism. The hour-hand is in the form of an arrow-head orimlicatingpoint, a, and it is raised above the surface of the ring orannulus forming the head of the outer stem, K. This outer stem is acylindrical sleeve which surrounds the stem L, and has an independentconnection with the clock mechanism, as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

The clock mechanism is of any ordinary simple form of escapement, and issecured to a plate, Q, which maycasily be introduced to or removed fromthe case A.

The spindle O, which actuates the minutehand, has its upperendflattened, and the lower end of the stem L is formed with a long slot,which will fit over the flattened end of the spindle, so that the stemwill be turned by it,

5 and thus actuate the indicator m upon its upper surface.

The sleeve K, carrying the hourliand, has two studs, p p, projectingdownward from its lower end, and these studs fitinto correspond- 0 ingslots in a disk, q, driven at the proper rate by the clock mechanism.This sleeve surrounds the spindle O, and the two indicators are thusdriven directly from the timing mechanism without the intervention oflevers or other intermediate connecting-gear. The movement and action ofthe clutches being in line vertically with their connecting spindle andsleeve, it will be seen that while the pointers will be continuouslyrotated by the tilning mechanism no blow upon or vertical motion of theindicator-stems can in any way be communicated to the mechanism below.

In order to sustain the indicatorsagainst the blows of the pad necessaryto imprint the 5 5 stamp, and hold them at all times on a level with thestationary words and figures on the plate H, and also to prevent suchaction from being in any way detrimental to the timing mechanism, Icountersink the bed-plate ll.

from its upper surface, so as to form a seat with a square shoulder, r,into which the annulus or disk carrying the hour-indicator fits.

This depression supports the flange of the disk,

so that it is as solid to resist the blows of the pad astheplate 11itself. Theinn er stem, which carries the minute hand or indicator, hasan enlarged disk or head, which fits into a depression in the head ofthe sleeve K, carrying the hour-hand, and a similar shoulder, bl, inthis depression supports the stem, so that any blow orconcussion upon itwill be supported and resisted in a vertical line with and by theshoulder 0" in the outer plate, H.

A groove is formed around the inner stem, L, and a pin or screw fitsthis groove and prevents its being withdrawn, while permitting its freerotation. The outer sleeve, K, is similarly secured within the bedplatcll, as shown.

At one side of the circle containing the 0thcial letters or figures isthe letter M, while at the other side I fit a small disk, Z, which maybe rotated horizontally in its seat. Upon one side of the face of thisdisk is the letter A, and at the opposite side the letter P. This is soplaced that only one ot'theseletters will lie beneath the inking-ribbonand impression-pad at one time. This enables me to turn the disk so asto use the letters A and P. res wctively, with the permanentletter M,and thus indicate morning and afternoon.

The dating letters and figures are fitted into a dovetailed slide, t,which fits a similar slot or groove in the bed-platejust in front of thedial. A spring, T, is secured to the side of the slide, and by itselastic tension holds the slide in place and steadies it without othertastening. The day, year, and month are formed so as to be easilyremoved or replaced in the slide, so as to be changed with but littletrouble. The front part of the bed-plate H is formed with two extensionsor arms, U, which serve asjournal-boxes, between which the cylinder Vrevolves. This cylinder has the raised letters, words, figures, orcharacters tin-med upon its side as may he demanded by the especialbusiness in which the stamp is to be used, as Forwa-rded, Received,Recorded, Paid, Audited,Answered,Oancelcd,&c. One ot'thejournalsw ofthiscylinder is round, while the other journal, '10, has as many sides asthere may be words or characters upon the cylinder. The extension orhearing U, corresponding with this journal, has a similarlyshapedopening, so that when this polygonal bearing is introduced into itssocket the cylinder will be firmly held with whichever-character or wordmay be desired uppermost.

In order to make a rapid adjustment, the opposite roumljournal, w, ismade long enough to allow the whole cylinder to be pushed along in thatdirection until the polygonal bearing is out of its seat and thesucceeding round portion (which is son'iewhat smaller) has entered it.This then allows the cylinder to be rotated until the desired word isuppermost, when the spiral spring X will force the angular bearing backinto its socketorbearing and hold it there. This gives me afirnily-suppm-ted, and at the same time easily-adjusted, series of wordsor characters.

The winding-lu y (t for the clock mechanism is permanently attached andprojects through the plateQ, so as to be easily reached and operated.The milled head b also extends through the plate, and is connected withthe hands, so that they may be easily set when desired. The regulator 61is also operated from the same point.

My apparatus thus provides a strong and durable chronometric stampsuitable for any ot'fice use, and especially valuable in such positionsas the offices of traiirdispatchers, where the time must be accuratelytaken. It contains the fewest possible moving parts, and by theemployment of the fixed dials with moving pointers or indicators animprint is given which is a facsimile of a clock-dial, and is much moreeasily and correctly read than if a number of continually-changing dialswere employed.

It will be manifest that in order to have the movement of the hands orindicators corre spond with the face of a dial and type which will makea correct imprint the movement of these hands must be reversed, and theymust turn to the left instead of to the'right. This may be done eitherby a specially-constructed movement, or, if an ordinary clock-movementbe employed, the gears and pinions actuating the hands and the spindlefor the same must be placed upon the opposite side of the frame fromtheir ordinary position.

' In the present case the spindle O, which actuates the minute-hand,passes freely through the hub of its driving-gear and pinion, and is.driven by frictional pressure of elastic washers, which are held againstthe hub by a pin passing through the spindle, and the milled head I)being secured to the lower end of the spindle, the latter may be turnedat any time 6 to adjust the hands without affeetin g the clockmovement.

The disk (1, which drives the hour-hand, turns freely upon the spindleO, and, with its gear-wheel, has a certain amount of longitudinal motionupon it without affecting its rotary movements, thus allowing of anadjustment betweenit and the lugs 19 of the sleeveK, which it drives.The hub of this disk q rests upon a convex elastic plate, 0, which isheld down upon the side of the gear-wheel, so as to be driven by it, butat the same time to allow the disk to be moved around, so as to adjustthe hour-hand independently of the minute-hand when necessary forregulating its position.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, thecombination of a dating or marking stamp with a timing mechanism, as Iam aware that such a combination has been already used, but differingfrom my invention.

\Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The fixed letters or characters I and dial J, mounted upon thebed-plate and having the movable pointers m audit, and the clockmechanism, as shown, in combination with the slide R, containing thedating letters and figures, and the stamp V, the whole combinedsubstantially as and'ibr the purpose herein described.

2. In a hand-stamp, the cylinder V, provided on its surface with raisedcharacters, letters, or words, and having at one end a cylindricalbearing and at the other a bearing with a polygonal section, 10, incombination with the arms U U, one of which has an opening correspondingto journal-section w, and the spring X, substantiallyas hereindescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The clock mechanism situated within the case A, directly beneath thestamp, and having the hour and minute disk q and spindle 0, as shown, incombination with the hands or pointer-stems K L, standing in a lineabove said disk and spindle, and so united to them as to be rotated,while having a free vertical movement, substantially as hereindescribed.

4. The stem L, carrying the minute-hand and having its lower endslotted, as shown, and the sleeve K, 'arrying the hour-hand and havingthe lugs 19 at its lower end, in combination with the flattened spindle0 and the slotted disk (1 of the clock mechanism, whereby a directvertical connection is made to drive the index-hands without conveyingthe concussions of the impression-pad to the clock mechanism,substantially as herein described.

5. In astamp consisting of a cylinder or body, V, having the raisedcharacters, fign res, or words upon two or more sides, and adapted toreceive a blow from an impression-pad, so as to imprint the charactersupon a document, the polygonal journal 20, having its sidescorresponding with the characters upon the body and fitting into asimilarly-shaped socket in the bearing arm, the elongated cylindricaljournal 20, spring X, and the indicating cylinder-extension to thejournal, having characters corresponding with those upon the stamp,whereby its adjustment may be secured, substantially as hereindescribed.

6. In a chronometric stamp having a clock mechanism adapted to drive themovable index hands or pointers by a loose direct connection, as shown,the immovable letters, characters, or dials forming a part of or fixedto the bed-plate in line above the clock mechanism and case, andconcentric with its driving-spindle, in combination with an impressionpad,whereby the time of an impression may be indicated upon adocument, substantially as herein described.

7. In a chronometric stamp having a clock mechanism adapted to drive amovable index hand or hands, a fixed bed-plate with immovable dials orcharacters and an impressionpad, as shown, the hollow clock-containingcase A, forming a support for or part of the bed-plate and dials, and inline directly below the same, the foot B, the connecting-arch O, and thearm E, for supporting and actuating the impression-pad, when the wholeare combined substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Vitnesses: G. E. EMERSON.

S. H. Nounsn, FRANK A. BRooKs.

